Naomi Jones, Joanne Newton, Kirstie Devine
Child Sexual Abuse case study - Allegation to conviction
Workshop Abstract
This workshop offers an insight into the initial response to a child's allegation of sexual abuse and the steps involved in the subsequent prosecution. Using elements of an anonymised but real-life case, professionals from Health, Police and the Crown Prosecution Service will outline their approach when a child reports sexual abuse.
They will describe the response to the initial report from a child as well as the following steps in a criminal investigation and prosecution with reference to the relevant areas of law and the medical evidence base. Professionals from Health and Police will outline how evidence is gathered from the point of a child’s initial report of abuse. This will include how a child’s initial account is captured and what is involved in a paediatric forensic medical assessment.
The Police will describe the subsequent steps in a criminal investigation into child sexual abuse, including liaison with Forensic Science, the staged approach to forensic analysis and the scientific basis for the tests undertaken. This case discussion will also focus on the liaison between Police and the Crown Prosecution Service. The District Crown Prosecutor will outline the approach to charging decisions.Professionals will illustrate how the welfare of the child is considered throughout, from initial response, criminal investigation and court proceedings.
Delegates will have the opportunity throughout the workshop for discussion with the professionals involved about their roles in this area of work.
About the Speakers
Naomi Jones is a Consultant Paediatrician working for Northumbria Healthcare NHS Trust. She graduated from Newcastle University in 2000 and started work as a consultant in March 2012. She has a wide range of interests, including safeguarding, young people’s health and neurodisability.
Naomi has worked in the field of child sexual abuse throughout her consultant career. She is part of the Paediatric Forensic Network (Paediatric SARC covering Northumbria, Durham and Cleveland Police Force areas) and also sees children and young people from Northumberland and North Tyneside where there are concerns about non-recent sexual abuse
Jo Newton joined Northumbria Police in 2006 as an Offender Management Officer. In 2009 began as a PC in South Tyneside area command, qualified as Seargent in 2012.
"Taking the NIE (National Investigators exam) in 2017 and started in Central Newcastle CID while completing my skills portfolio, moving into Child Protection in 2021. In a safeguarding role, we are provided role specific training, completing a SCAIDP, (Specialist Child Abuse Investigators Development Program) course and portfolio."
Kirstie Devine is a District Crown Prosecutor within CPS North East. She joined the Crown Prosecution Service in January 2020 from private practice. Kirstie has previously worked within Magistrates and Crown Court Units as a Crown Prosecutor and subsequently Senior Crown Prosecutor.
She is now a legal manager within the Rape and Serious Sexual Offences Unit (RASSO). She is responsible for a team of prosecutors who review and prepare rape and serious sexual offence cases for trial. Kirstie is also the RASSO SPOC for Northumbria Police, working closely alongside police to ensure high quality files are prepared for prosecution.